METABOLIC HEALTH EXPERT SHARES INSIGHTS ON HEALTHY AGEING AND GROWING PUBLIC INTEREST IN THE FIELD
With
David Beard,
Senior Exercise Physiologist,
Metabolic Health Specialist, HFRC,
Nedlands, Western Australia &
Chair Western Australia Chapter
Exercise and Sports Science Australia (ESSA)
PEOPLE IN HEALTH CARE SEGMENT
Filmed in Nedlands, Western Australia | April 2025
David Beard is a highly experienced Exercise Physiologist with a specialisation in metabolic health and healthy aging. He has spent over 40 years in this profession, even before exercise physiology was formally recognised as a discipline. His extensive background includes over a decade of working in aged care and a strong focus on adult health and fitness. David has authored a book on healthy aging and dedicated the last 10 to 12 years to advancing his expertise in metabolic health issues such as diabetes, weight loss, and inflammatory conditions. He is a co-owner of HFRC in Nedlands, Western Australia, where he has worked for nearly a decade.
A pivotal moment in David’s career occurred when he became one of the first exercise physiologists to work in the aged care sector, making significant contributions to the health of older adults. Passionate about the benefits of exercise and its impact as individuals age, David focuses on improving clients’ metabolic health through personalised strategies involving exercise, nutrition, and lifestyle modifications.
In his role as State Chair of Exercise and Sports Science Australia in WA, David advocates for greater recognition of the profession’s value in managing chronic health conditions. He believes that raising public awareness of metabolic health is essential, as it empowers individuals to understand how their daily choices significantly affect their long-term well-being. Through education and support, David strives to help others lead healthier, more active lives, particularly as they navigate the challenges of aging.
Source: Written by AUDIENCED from transcript
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Global GP Conference comes to Australia
Over 3000 delegates from around the World will gather at the 50th celebration of WONCA to reconnect and revive General Practice, sharing knowledge and learnings on access, equity, funding, and multidisciplinary care teams. This includes networking with Australian and overseas GPs and in particular learning about primary care practices in other countries.
Australian Health Journal met with Dr Nicole Higgins, President of RACGP in transit at Brisbane Airport recently and she spoke about the $6 Billion allocated in the Federal Budget in May as a significant achievement for General Practice investment. She also emphasised this announcement reinforced GPs should be at the centre of multidisciplinary care teams to ensure continuity of care and better health outcomes.
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HIGHLIGHTS The power of social determinants of health, panel discussion
Clinicians and consumers know only too well that life circumstances such as poor housing, income and food insecurity can have a negative impact on health outcomes. Conversely, participation in community activities, social connection and access to nature parks and leisure facilities can help maintain health and wellbeing.
More recent phenomena in public health have also focused us on the health and social care connection. Stress factors such as the sudden loss of employment and social interaction, moving to remote work or schooling, and the impacts of sudden, localised COVID-19 ‘lockdowns’ to prevent further outbreaks were triggers of increased psychological distress.
And loneliness is being described as our latest epidemic with chronic loneliness inked to a myriad of health problems and earlier death. A recent report found one in four Australians say they feel persistently lonely, and that loneliness costs $2.7 bn a year in health costs alone.
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Ensuring stringent quality standards in the lifecycle of medical devices
Dr Jasjit Baveja is the Associate Director of Policy at the Medical Technology Association of Australia (MTAA), where she oversees regulatory affairs, clinical code of practice, procurement, industry policy, reimbursement, and advocacy. With over 20 years of experience in the medical device regulatory space, Dr Bavej’s expertise lies in providing educational opportunities for regulatory professionals in Australia to ensure continuous learning and professional development. She collaborates closely with the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) to run workshops that provide invaluable experience, networking opportunities, and skill enhancement.
